Note from the author: If you are not 18, go away...we all know the routine.
The car was new, Tally noticed as she wound her way through her neighborhood to get to her house. She looked over at Baily, wondering what to do with her. The girl had a knot on her head, but it wasn't anything serious. Her hair was falling out of its bun, and her face was wet with rain water. Tally had taken the time to make sure Baily was in a comfortable position in the car before she had started the motor, and was positive Baily would be alright, just needed to sleep things off. Problem was, what was Tally to do with her in the meantime?
When she pulled into the driveway, Tally turned off the car and took a few moments to look at Baily. God she's beautiful, she thought again. Baily's face was pink with heat, her lips full. It was then Tally noticed Baily's tongue sticking out of her mouth slightly, it's pink tip resting below her white teeth on her bottom lip. Oh God, Tally thought again, heat rising to her own face now, along with the realization this attraction might not go away so easily. She wanted to touch Baily...to feel the heat on her flesh...to...NO, I can't think of her like this. For cryin' out loud, she's a girl! Tally couldn't keep her thoughts strait, couldn't NOT acknowlede how her breath was catching in her throat. Couldn't ignore the way her heart was beating ten times faster than normal. I have to get out of here, Tally thought.
She stepped out of the car, and momentarily let the rain wash off some of the heat of her skin before moving over to the passenger side and opening the door. How to do this...She decided on cradeling her neck and holding her legs under the backs of her knees. When Tally grabbed Baily, she had been anticipating the other girl to be limp, but what she hadn't anticipated was the heat that emnated off of her. Tally looked down at Baily...a long breath escaped her lips.
What have I gotten myself into? ***
What in the hell happened? Baily thought, opening her eyes to a bright room she had never been in before. Her head ached like crazy, and the leather jacket she was wearing was sprinkled with water.
Jesus, what did I do to deserve this? she wondered yet again. Oh yeah, I'm a dirty whore, she thought bitterly. Just like everyone says.
"And she awakens," Baily heard the other voice, but couldn't see where it was coming from, though she knew who it was coming from. She knew who instictively by the chill running down her spine, and the way her heart beat faster.
Tally.
She was leaning against the doorway, her legs crossed at her ankles. Her hair was up now, the shiny strands of her pony tail curling slightly at the bottom. A cautious smile played at her lips. She's not sure if I'm gonna thank her or kill her, Baily thought. She nearly laughed out loud with the realization."Don't worry, I'm not angry with you," She explained, a smile of her own appearing on her face. Tally's look of relief was enough to put Baily at ease. The other girl meant well.
"So what exactly happened...the last thing I remember is you trying to walk home in thunder and lightening," Baily said condescendingly. Tally sheepishly looked down, a blush coming to her cheeks. Baily's breath caught.
"Well, you got out of the car to get me, and then you slipped on some mud," She told her feet, the ceiling, and everywhere else besides Baily's face.
Aw, she's so cute, Baily thought, then regretted it. She needed to get her thoughts on something other than Tally, and how gorgeous she was. She decided she might as well check out her surroundings.
The room wasn't large by any means, giving off a more cozy feel than anything else. The walls were white, and boxes were scattered all over the floor, some empty, some unopened. She looked up at Tally.
"So where did you move from?"
"Oh, well, you know, just about everywhere, hehe," Tally replied nervously. She feels nervous with me being here, Baily thought, because she thinks I'm a slut. She wants me out of here. Baily felt tears rise, and looked down at the bed she was sitting on. Damnit, why did it have to be so hard? Why do I have to like her...need her...want her? It's so pathedic, when she doesn't even like me in ANY way.
Tally couldn't come up with the courage to tell the other girl her thoughts...her unhappiness. She didn't want the other to know how much she really moved, how many friends she DIDN'T have, how much time she had spent crying on the bed Baily sat on now. What purpose would it serve? It would just make Tally look like she was begging for sympathy, something she absolutely did not want.
"Well, I guess I'll go now," Why does she do that? Tally wondered, what is she thinking when she closes the whole world off from her?
"Not tonight you're not," Tally said, causing Baily to jerk her head up quickly in surprise, raising an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
"Tornado warnings," Tally explained, "there all around us, and it's supposed to get worse before it gets better," she turned away from Baily now, not sure what to do or say in a situation like this. What do you say after you tell someone that hates you they're having a sleepover at your house, without their consent? Plus, do you also add that you're seriously attracted them as well?
The thought went across Tally's brain before she could stop it.
"Um, have you eaten, because I could fix us something really quickly?"
Baily's stomach, as if in response to the mention of food, picked that moment to growl. The girls looked at each other, and for the first time shared a smile. ***
The popcorn bag was empty, but not quite as empty as the conversation in Tally's room later that evening. Baily sat on the Tally's bed, which she had noticed earlier smelled of th other girl's shampoo, while the host sat on a chair located on the opposite side of the room, sipping a water she had gotten for herself earlier. The unnease in the room was palpable. All that could be heard was the television reporting the awful weather to them.
"So...have you lived in Kansas your whole life?" Tally finally asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.
"Yep."
Well, so much for conversation, Tally thought, looking over toward Baily. She sat looking at her hands folded limply in her lap.
"Who told you about me?" Baily asked all of a sudden. At Tally's befuddled look she went on, "when you first heard my name, you said my reputation certainly does precede me. How did you hear that on the first day? Who told you?" Baily had been wondering for a while the answer to those question (and more, though she wouldn't go into her sexual feelings for Tally) for a while, but had held herself from asking them.
"Oh, I just heard it in the bathroom between periods...you know I don't believe that stuff, don't you?" Tally looked at Baily. Her eyes were closed, but she was still looking at something...something Tally could not see.
Instead of answering, Baily decided to ask another question. "Then why did you treat me like shit when you didn't even know me? Why does everyone?" Silent tears had started running down Baily's eyes, but she didn't look up at Tally for help. Or sympathy. Or compassion. Just answers.
After a short silence, Tally said, in a voice that to her own ears sounded hollow and shaky, "Well, I think a lot of it is jealousy, like you said earlier today...but then some of it is just people being stupid, and shallow, like me," Tally could feel her own eyes tearing up, but choked the them back before the other girl could see. She never cried in front of anyone else. "but I also hope that you believe me, truly believe me, when I tell you I'm sorry."
And Baily did...for the first time in her life, Baily trusted another girl...hell, another ANYBODY.
But deep down, Baily knew she more than trusted the other girl. ***
From where Tally sat on the chair, she could see the other girl's even breathing. She's finally asleep, Tally thought, and I never will again, having seen how good she looks in my bed.
Note from the author: Sorry for the delay, it couldn't be helped, I assure you. I hope to get the next installment to you as soon as possible.
Sun